Two new polls released yesterday show just how frustrated the public is with the agenda of the Obama administration and Democrats in Washington, whose solution to every problem seems to involve higher taxes, ever more spending, and growing the size of government.

The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll again shows more disapprove of President Obama’s job than approve and that a large majority of Americans think the country is on the wrong track. But it’s the president’s approval ratings on key issues that really tell the tale today.

In a Gallup release yesterday, of 13 issues the organization polled on recently, it found more disapprove than approve of the President’s handling of 9 of them. And majorities disapprove of how President Obama is handling taxes, health care policy, the economy, the situation in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan, the federal budget deficit, immigration, and even the environment.

On the economy, 59% in the Gallup poll disapprove of Obama’s performance, while 52% disapprove in the NBC/WSJ poll. More in the NBC/WSJ poll say Republicans would do a better job handling the economy than Democrats, for the first time in that poll since January 2004. Republicans have a 14 point advantage in “controlling government spending” and “reducing the federal deficit.” At the same time, the Gallup poll shows a whopping 64% disapprove of President Obama’s handling of the deficit.

On immigration, Republicans have a 5 point advantage in the NBC/WSJ poll, the first since before 2005, while 62% in the Gallup poll disapprove of how President Obama is handling the issue.

On health care, 57% disapprove of the President’s handling of it in the Gallup poll.  Interestingly, the NBC/WSJ poll shows that when asked which party would do a better job handling health care, Republicans are at the same point they were in October 1994. The Wall Street Journal notes, “The survey suggests that Democrats should expect little if any appreciation from voters for legislative achievements such as overhauling the health care and financial systems.” And Democrat pollster Doug Schoen explains for Politico today, “In recent months, as voters express anger across-the-board with Washington, there may well be no single initiative as unpopular as the administration’s health care reform bill.” Indeed, he deems the unpopular health care law “a disaster for the party.”

When asked about taxes, 54% in or respondents in the Gallup poll say they disapprove of how President Obama is handling the issue. In the NBC/WSJ poll, 71% support extending current tax law for one year so Americans are not faced with massive tax hikes as the economy struggles. Two-thirds support maintaining tax relief for families making less than $250,000 a year, and a majority opposes eliminating relief for those making above that level.

Turning to the legislative branch, the NBC/WSJ poll features similarly miserable approval ratings of the Democrat-run Congress to a Gallup poll from earlier this week. The latest poll shows 72% disapprove of Congress, while 75% disapproved in the recent Gallup poll.

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